The invention relates to a liquid distributor for column packings and to uses of the liquid distributor.
A liquid distributor comprises submembers with output points for the medium to be treated in the column. Submembers of this kind are arm channels, main channels, pre-distribution channels or distributor tubes. The output points are base holes, lateral holes, tubelets and/or slits. In a multiple stage liquid distributor the output points can also be the transition points from one stage to a following stage.
An apparatus for the gravimetric liquid distributor for material and heat exchange columns by means of which a liquid medium is supplied to a column packing is known from EP-B 0 118 029. The teaching of this specification relates to a uniform distribution in relation to a problem which is connected with the apparatus itself, namely a practically inevitable inclined position of the distributor system, which is as a rule slight but is nevertheless not negligible. A uniform distribution can also be impaired by properties of the medium to be treated. This is the case when the liquid medium consists of a material or a mixture of materials which tends to the development of inhomogeneities. Inhomogeneities of this kind can arise through the segregation of multiple phase media such as, for example, emulsions, through depositions from suspensions or through the polymerization of a material to be treated.
The formation of inhomogeneities is to be expected principally at locations with stagnating flow. The distributor comprises at least one submember with a row of output points for the liquid medium, with at least one of the output points taking on a last position in the submember with respect to the flow direction of the medium. In the last output point or output points there are zones with stagnating flow.